The Greek Police Force awards Dr. Coustas
(Freely Translated extract from an article published on www.portnet.gr, May 16, 2013)
 
 In a small ceremony held at the P. Bakogiannis auditorium, located within the Greek Ministry of Public Order and Citizen Protection, Dr. Coustas was awarded for his long-term contribution to the Greek Police Force.
 In his honorary speech towards Dr. Coustas, Mr. Nikolaos Dendias (the Greek Minister of Public Order and Citizen Protection) mentioned that as a newly elected Minister, one of the major issues I was asked to handle, was the problem of illegal immigration.  We all knew that if we were not able to properly seal off the Ebros River, illegal immigration would never be dealt with properly. In fact it would be like trying to fill a barrel of water that has holes in it, a perpetual task without result.
 
That is when the Greek Chief of Police, came up with an idea to create operation ASPIDA
The concept of this operation was to create a potential shield around the Ebros itself. The terrestrial area around the Ebros was already protected, there was a fence and there were cameras but the actual aquatic area was unguarded. The budget was non-existent and this is where Dr. John Coustas stepped in.  
 
Dr. Coustas’ kind and selfless act to provide the Greek Police Force with inflatable speedboats, helped make the operation a success, shielding the Ebros river from illegal immigrants for good. He arranged everything in such a swift manner, giving us the necessary tool to achieve our goal and a prime example of this is by viewing the statistics. On August 2, 2012, before we began our operation, 416 illegal immigrants entered the country through the Ebros River. Today, only 1 to 2 immigrants have managed to slip through.
 
I am very glad I had the opportunity to finally meet Dr. Coustas, from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of the Greek Prime Minister and the Government; I would like to thank him, not only for this particular donation but primarily because he has shown all of us that even during times of crisis, unadulterated patriotism still exists.
 
The Greek Chief of Police, Lieutenant General, Nikolaos Papagiannopoulos, also gave a speech in Dr. Coustas’ honour, mentioning that Dr. Coustas comes from an excellent generation of fellow citizens, who with their actions, are living proof that solidarity and selflessness have always been and always will be a part of this country.
 
Dr. Coutas’ donation will be utilized on a daily basis to provide high quality services towards the country and its people, for this the Greek Police Force and all those Officers fighting against illegal immigration at the Ebros, will be eternally grateful.
 
Dr. Coustas we thank you once again.